NASA shares stunning image of 10-billion-year-old globular cluster NGC 6496. Netizens say, ‘Looks like glitter’

NASA images: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has shared stunning image 10-billion-year-old globular cluster of stars, NGC 6496, which the space agency describes it as “heavy metal.”

NASA added that the clusters is about 35,000 light-years away from Earth. In a post on Instagram, the space agency also added that the stars in this cluster have a notably higher concentration of metals, elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, than those found in comparable stellar clusters.

NASA further explained that NGC 6496 hosts a selection of long-period variables — giant pulsating stars whose brightness can take up to, and even over, a thousand days to change." It also has short-period eclipsing binaries, where the brightness dims as one star passes in front of the other, it added.

People were captivated by the stunning image of NGC 6496. One person remarked, “Looks like glitter,” while another reflected “We are dust in the universe.”

Another user commented on the beauty of the sky and asked, “What a beautiful sky". One user also asked, “I have been fascinated by the universe since childhood and am eager to understand more about its boundaries. Is there an end to the universe, or is it infinite? I would greatly appreciate any insights you can provide.”

NASA update on Sunita William and Butch Wilmore's return

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are awaiting the NASA decision on Starliner's return to Earth. NASA is yet to make a decision on a range of issues — the date of the Starliner astronauts' return from space, whether to fly back the Boeing spacecraft uncrewed, or whether to return the two astronauts aboard Starliner or a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

In their latest update on Being Starliner, Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate said, “We're reaching a point where that last week in August we really should be making a call, if not sooner.”

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched aboard the Starliner on June 5. They reached the International Space Station on June 6. They were scheduled to return to Earth by mid-June. However, their plans were derailed after the Starliner capsule was detected with several issues